Another Chapter
by rolliepollie44
Summary: Bay's finally going to college... halfway across the world. He has one summer... till she's halfway across the world. Bay/Emmett
1. congrats

**disclaimer: i don't own switched at birth; if i did Bay and Emmett would be back together! ;)**

_(Bay's POV)_

_**Congratulations, you've been accepted.**_

I double take. Is this real life? Tears of joy are welling up in my eyes as I study the artistic logo of my dream school and imagine myself painting it over and over on every notebook I purchase for the upcoming year. I question who I should tell first; surely nosey but loving Katherine would love to know. The aged lines underneath her eyes would be grateful knowing that I would be far away. She had tried to love and to care and she had given it her all but eighteen years had been tough on her petite figure.

John would be right there with the check, signed and ready to go- _did you need new luggage for all your supplies honey? Maybe new supplies? Here's more money! _His solution for everything was to throw a few fifties and a glass of water on it and pray that something good came from it.

Daphne would surely care- not. She would shoot a sarcastic smile and hold up her acceptance letter to some prestigious school for nuclear physiology or biochemical engineering and sneer as she reminded me that not only is she smarter, but she's also disabled and smarter. Damn her charm and hard life that made her even more charming!

Regina maybe? No. Regina and I may be biologically connected but over the previous months it became apparent that, that really was all it was. She had gave it the old college try but at the end of the day Regina would always be satisfied with the girl she had raised her whole life instead of me, the one she gave birth too.

That left very limited choices of people who would give two shits. My excitement was dissipating into pure agony as I reminisced in classic teenage angst form about my dysfunctional life. I didn't think I was a victim; I knew I was, ever since Daphne scooted her slim little figure in and became the daughter that everybody wanted. Of course there were the other obvious choices like Toby, and Angelo but I couldn't myself to call Toby who was miles away making country music with his freaky girlfriend or Angelo who was probably fucking any semi-attractive willing female.

Too bad Noah and I had ended on such a bad note- he would have been real proud of me if he wasn't busy hooking up with the whole entire senior class at Carlton. That's when it hit me. Emmett. We hadn't talked much in the past few months, just an occasional head nod and a quick hello but he had been taking girls out left and right as far as I knew and as far as he knew I was content with the single life since I never bothered to make a move on him. Somehow, even after months of separation his number came right back to me as I typed it into my phone.

**Guess what? I got in.**

_(Emmett's POV)_

My stomach churned as I put the pieces together. Bay got in. She got in to college. Her dream college. Which was forever away. We had conversed about it on numerous occasions but never once had I considered the possibility of her literally moving halfway across the country to study art. Despite the fact that I'm completely over her I can't seem the shake the bout of nausea that keeps sweeping over me. I begin to consider the flu, or something worse taking over me but I slowly take a deep breath and let the feeling of true love return to me.

Occasionally when I return home from a bad date I do the same. The memory of her arms around me was the only thing I had left and even though it hurt to remember, it helped as well. God, I'm so lame. I applied to a technical school or two knowing that no degree would make me satisfied with life.

I begin to think of ways I can convince her that we should get together and talk but everything sounds boring and horrible. Who knows what was going on with her- maybe she just sent out a mass text about it and I was one of the many to get it or maybe she was rubbing it in my face that she was going to be far, far away from me. Was I overanalyzing?

I have to text her back so that she knows I got her text message and knows that I really am happy for her. I am really happy for her. I would be happier if I was going with her but I was going right down the street and that would be fine. A shitty interpreter would help me learn how to count numbers all over again all while being avoided by every student at the place.

I pick my phone up and begin typing a long paragraph. Something along the lines of take me with you, I can't let you go to Europe with all those French guys and nobody to protect you but knowing my joke may not be appreciated I backspace and type a simple:

**Congratulations on your acceptance.**

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**authors note: i'm really excited about this story- would love to know what you think!? :) thanks for reading!**


	2. simple plan

_(Bay's POV)_

Really? That's it. I curl up into my pillows and groan out of anger. This bloooows.

"Honey!" I hear a call from downstairs and know immediately that I'm being summoned down for questioning about acceptance letters and graduation dresses.

The stairs are too long for Katherine who starts to yell my name and I pick up the pace till I'm planted indifferently in a chair in front of her, phone in hand, acceptance letter in pocket. My palms are sweating; I'm nervous to tell her.

"Yes?" I question grabbing a handful of pistachios from a jar on the counter and cracking into them yet not consuming any of them in fear of throwing up all over the place.

"How was your day?" She takes off her blazer and begins to dig into the various grocery bags, "Any good news? I stopped by that little store off the-…"

"I got in!" I blurt out finally able to shove a handful of nuts into my mouth.

Her face lights up and her hands move just inches from her mouth, "OH MY GOSH!" It's apparent she's ecstatic as tears well up in her eyes and she nears me for a hug, "I'm so proud! Congratulations honey!"

I'll be hearing that damn word a lot won't I?

"Thanks…" I mumble, swallowing loudly and pulling out of her embrace, "I have a dress picked out already mom, I'll just wear the one from dad's banquet and I'll ju-…"

"Oh no! Honey! You deserve something new, I mean this is a big day for you!" She smiles and digs back into her grocery bags, "And this is acceptance is so big! I can't believe you'll be all the way in Europe! My baby!" She's smiling ear to ear; it's revolting.

"Yup! It's cool!" All of a sudden my excitement has diluted into pure embarrassment and agony. I pull my phone out from my sweatshirt pocket and begin to re-read Emmett's message. Maybe he was just busy. I decide to text him back anyways, maybe even chat him up enough to take me out for a ride- ha funny joke.

Emmett did enjoy a good joke. Maybe I would ask if he wanted to leave one final mark on the town before I left… as a joke. I realize that maybe I should just forget about that but somehow the timeline he made for me sticks prominently not only while I'm awake during the day but appears often in my dreams as well. The impact that boy had not only on my emotions, but on my morals, and my self worth- he was one of those people who shaped me.

"Who are you talking too?" My mother notes, noticing my sudden interest in my cell phone.

I shake my head and stand up, "Oh just… Emmett…."

"Emmett?" She raises an eyebrow questioning and sets the milk down, "Are you two seeing each other again?"

"No! Mom! Can't I just talk to him?" I defend myself strongly against that statement. I wave off her comment and casually stroll back up the stairs mumbling something about something while I type a few letters into my phone.

**Thanks….**

_(Emmett's POV)_

She wanted more. Why didn't I send her more! She had that tendency to make me an over confident, jerky, twitchy, nervous, well… wreck. I still wonder why being that it had been many months since her and I had even had a moment per say but damn it, I missed that spontaneous kiss and the freedom I felt when my lips touched hers.

Maybe I should just invite her to lunch.

Yes. Good idea Emmett! Pat on the back for you! Take the pretty lady out somewhere nice using the excuse that you're talking her out to a congratulatory lunch that could basically be said to be a date but didn't HAVE to be if she didn't want it to be. Good fucking idea.

Why can't I type those letter's back? What's the worst that can happen? She says no! Ha! Like that would be a big newsflash! Bay said no better than anybody I knew.

I'm going to do it! I'm going to do it and we're going to go out as friends. Not as potential lovers, or desperate acquaintances but simply friends who may or may not keep in contact once college rolls around. Oh I wanted too though. Would it be cliché to say that she was my first love…. Maybe even my only? Maybe that was dramatic! I could love others. I had loved Simone for a night, I could probably love her for a few more…. That's horrible! I shouldn't be saying that I should just be asking her to lunch right now and then getting ready to leave, if she says yes!

**;) I'm sure you're dying to get out of congratulatory dinner with John and Kate plus eight so how about I take you out? As friends.**

Nice job Emmett. That joke was sure to get you far- she definitely laughed. I stand up from my bed and brush out my hair just a smidge, fluffing my coat, and sagging my pants. No way was I going to be the boy next door and no way was I going to be looked at anything more in this overdone leather jacket. I pulled out something more causal deciding on a remote pizza joint on the south side of town that also had some bitchin' spaghetti. It was fancy enough to score a kiss at the end but not classy enough to be mistaken for a true re try at a first date.

I feel my phone vibrate in the pocket of my jeans and my anxiety raises; what if she says no? I throw in the passcode and a realized smile crosses my face.

**Your bike or my convertible? ;)**

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**authors note: thanks readers and reviewers! :) hoping to update this one pretty quickly! let me know what you think? :) **


	3. oh hey, you have food on your face

Spaghetti joint on the back of Emmett's motorcycle for the umpteenth time in her teenage years; Bay isn't sure whether to be obviously disinterested or wholeheartedly grateful for his 'rescue'. She's impressed with his new bike- the graffiti work was truly amazing and the fact that he had done it all by himself was even more impressive. She had told him that he should do it for a living but he politely declined the idea due to the fact his parents weren't zillionaires and couldn't support him for the rest of his life.

The boy whips into a parking spot and stabilizes the bike till Bay gets off the back. He's obviously avoiding eye contact with her being that his nerves have completely taken over- why can't he get it together today of all days?!

She catches her finger between his and smiles awkwardly, "Classic." She signs to him blushing slightly at the memories of the red sauce around her lips and the noodles being slurped in a very un-lady like fashion.

"Can't go wrong with pizza and spaghetti!" He signs back defensively.

Bay laughs and Emmett can feel her loosening up, "Unless you put them together… that might be kind of gross!"

He shrugs and rests his hand on her back, "Don't knock it till you try it!" He grabs the door for her and leads her in.

The two are escorted to a private booth in the back and Bay is shocked at the almost hopeless romantic vibe the place gives off. Cliché dim lighting and overplayed Italian music make it a typical first date setting and her anxiety builds as she wonders if he's hoping that's what it eventually turns into. Not that she isn't attracted to him or anything but more the fact that she really doesn't want to get involved with anybody since she's leaving in such a short amount of time.

"So… Europe, huh?" Emmett signs, breaking the ice immediately.

Bay glances down at her menu, "I'm so excited!" Even though her facial expression could show the exact opposite.

"I bet! No Daphne, no Katherine… all art, all the time!" He smiles at the thought and wishes that maybe he could go far away; despite how close his mom and him had got he knew he would be happier FAR away from her.

Bay looks up at him, "They're all fine… it's just I'm fine with seeing them once a year instead of every day…"

"I don't blame you- sounds like a high stress environment."

"Alcoholics, senators, and religious freaks.. no it's pretty relaxed." She winks at him.

"Well… I'm happy for you." Emmett signs halfheartedly and she wonders if it's sincere or not.

"Yeah…." She looks almost confused, "Where are you going?"

"Just sticking around here- I never was one for an adventure…" His sarcasm amuses her, "But really I'm just not sure what I want to do! I'm jealous that you get to go over to Europe though, hope to see your graffiti floating around there as well?"

"Oh.. axe girl and many additions will be floating around- maybe even John Kennish, I'm thinking I can help him become the pope or something; I would win daughter of the year then for year!"

The two smile in awkward harmonious bliss. She can't help but notice the small wrinkles forming under his eyes- he's thinking really hard about something. It had been forever since the two had even talked and although Bay had tons of things to ask, she couldn't pull herself too; it was too uncomfortable.

Emmett was ballsy, he piped right up with his questions, no regrets, "Have you been seeing anyone lately?"

Bay chokes on her water, she should have known that was coming, "Uhh… nope, not really looking for anybody." She looks away hoping he doesn't bring up the whole they should date concept, "How about you?" She sneaks her curiosity into the conversation.

He shrugs his shoulders, "A few people.. not anything long term."

"Lots of hook ups?" Bay almost jokes.

Emmett blushes, "Well…. Sometimes…"

Her heart races; how many girls had he slept with since they broke it off exactly? Surprising enough, Bay was still a virgin. No matter who she had been with, she could never pull herself to be that close, part of her still hoped she could with Emmett but the rest of her knew that it was a horrible idea.

"Oh…." She awkwardly searches for a waitress but quickly feels a slight touch on her arm; she turns to look at Emmett.

He's frowning, "I didn't sleep with like twenty girls or anything Bay."

She sneers defensively, "Well I know that!"

Emmett, realizing things just got weird, flags down a waitress and signs their order. Weirdly she knows exactly what he's saying and Bay watches amazed as she signs back to him. Had he been hooking up with her? She seemed young enough- perky, strawberry blonde hair, exactly how he liked him. The petite girl walks away and Bay can't help but glare her down.

"Not with her Bay, ew!" Emmett scrunches his nose and takes her hands in his, "I don't want to fight…"

The girl lets out a sign realizing that it was true that her and Emmett fought basically every time they talked. Her frown turns into a smile and she excitedly begins discussing her living arrangement and her goals. It's truly making Emmett depressed realizing that things really are over but he keeps a smile on his face.

"Basically, I'm looking forward to it!" She concludes, a big grin plastered on her face. She notices Emmett's fake enthusiasm, "What?"

He snaps his head up, "What, what?"

"I know that something is bothering you!" She crosses her arms.

His eyes shine, she could still read him, "I'm just thinking about how everything had to get so screwed up between us…" He's reminiscing hoping she'll go along with it.

"Yeah… me too." Bay recalls.

Her thoughts jumble. She's thinking about Noah and how he fucked her over, and she thinks about Emmett and Simone fucking and how he had been so honest with her, and she thinks about how she fucked herself coming to dinner tonight with him knowing that she would have the urge to take him home.

"Did you want to go out later, maybe paint the town?" She smiles, a deviant look sweeping her features, "It's been awhile."

Emmett nods slowly, "Nothing I would love more!"


	4. painting the town bay

(_Bay's POV)_

God. We're running around like we're reckless delinquents- classic. I was amazed to see how easy it was for Emmett to purchase bulk spray paint. He said as we were leaving the store that people never assumed a deaf kid was ever up to trouble; I suppose that was true. The moon was up and I hadn't heard a wink from back home; the night seemed too perfect but I wasn't counting my red flags I was counting the amount of fun I was having. It was more than usual.

"Any new ideas floating around in that art school brain of yours?" He signed to me as I smiled wearily at the idea of being out till early morning with him.

I shake my head, "Not a clue… how about… maybe… a recollection of high school? A monument to the times we had, and the times we didn't?"

He gave me a peculiar look before bursting into a smile, "Serious?"

I shrugged, "Guess I'm getting sentimental with this whole leaving thing!" I could feel my ears turning red with embarrassment; should I have just said angry children with axes?

"Great!" He pulls out a can of red, shakes it up, and nonchalantly starts going to town on the naked wall in front of us.

I don't want to paint tonight; I just want to watch. So I do. I watch him intently, studying every crease of his clothing and the veins popping in his hands. I wonder what he's thinking. I'm not even sure what I'm thinking, I just know that it's different then I how I usually feel. In a good way of course, I think I've just reached a point of pure bliss even if just for a little bit.

"You okay?" He halts his painting and turns to me.

I smile, "I'm great."

He returns the gesture and awkwardly pats my back- I feel so close to him again.

Minutes pass by before I see his dimly lit face again. He's walking back to me blocking my view from what he had just been working on. He kneels in front of me and squeezes both my hands before quickly dropping into a much more casual sitting position.

"Why did you ask me to do this?" He raises an eyebrow and my heart can't help but race.

I shake my head and laugh quietly, "I just thought it would be a good idea…. It's been… awhile."

He chokes, "After so long, right now; right now you want to be friends again?" Emmett's face is turning angry.

I gasp, "It's not even like that!" Does he really think I timed it out this way?

"I'm going to be totally honest with you Bay. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in love with you, but you make it so… damn hard." He stands up to reveal a life size painting of the two of us on his motorcycle- had I really been off in dreamland that long.

"Emmett…" I'm in awe at his sheer talent and his honesty, "This is incredible…"

He shrugs with his arms crossed, "Maybe I should take you home…"

"Or not?" I cross my arms, "Why are you being like this?"

He was doing that thing. That thing where he pissed me off to the extent that I didn't want to see him for quite some time but at the same time I could feel his anger as well and his seemed more legitimate then mine.

"I'm so sorry…." I crumple back to the ground in a heap of welled up anger, frustration, and in typical female fashion I begin to cry.

Emmett steps away from my body looking confused. Quickly he shakes his surprise and kneels down to pat me on the back. I try to cover my eyes but that doesn't work; he pulls them away.

"I didn't mean to make you cry…" He's not angry, he's not sad, he looks calm.

I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath, "I'm sorry that I messed so much up for you. I didn't know that you were so… so in love with me."

He shrugs, "It's okay…."

The whole mood has turned to awkward and I don't know whether to keep crying or run far away into the night.

"I'm just so… everything is just so stressful and it has been, and I didn't think I was going to be with Noah but then that happened but I didn't want to just get back together with you because I thought well maybe I should explore my options but I should have at least listened to you and-," He kissed me- maybe to shut me up, maybe because he thought the moment was right. I return the smooch but remain unsure of why. He cheated on me. I lied to him.

Maybe that was how life was going to go? Maybe that's how everyone was?

I begin to question my morals as he holds me closer; a reminder that he'll stay with me as long as I wish for him too. Never in life had a boy been so wrapped around my psychotic, mentally fragile finger- they usually saw right through but not Emmett. He was still here, months after the breakup, months after the incident, and he was still kissing me and buying me dinner. I'm in awe.

"Take me home…." I pull away, making sure he's looking me in the eyes.

He nods slowly, his plan visible as he helps me from the ground, hand still clasped in mind. He doesn't just want to take me home, he wants to take me to his home, to his room and pray that for once I don't object to his insensitive barbaric behavior.

This was escalating quickly.


	5. no regrets he says

(_Emmett's POV)_

I'm not going to have sex with her.

That would be completely irrational!

Unless she wanted too, then it wouldn't be. Or would it still be? It still would be!

Damn my boyish desires. Her glossy eyes and fragile features make her look like she could truly use my embrace about as much as I need hers. I realize I'm holding her hand tight but I realize she's holding mine back- that's a good sign? I wish things were always like this. Although it wasn't easy it was magical and despite my confusion I was comfortable.

"Emmett…" She's tapping my shoulder and signing my name continuously.

I drop her hand and turn, "Yes?"

She snuggles into my chest, "What are we doing?" Her eyes peer into mine like they're searching for an answer to the world's problems.

I shrug my shoulders and keep one hand on her back, "I don't know… what do you want to be doing?"

I feel her chest move out, a sigh, "I don't want to be an inconvenience. I don't want this to not work out. I'm not sure I want it to work out. I just…"

"Let's just have a great summer?" I suggest, visions of country music and Grease floating around in my head, "We don't have to be serious or anything…" I pull away from our embrace and return to a more friendly stance, "We can just be friends…"

"I thought you didn't-," She starts but I pull her hands down.

"That will be easier for me then nothing but better than being together, now come on, let's get you home…" I nudge her forward and follow her slow paced walk.

The mood has turned somber- did I suggest the wrong thing? She's dragging her feet almost like she's trying to stall. What a child. I make my way to her side and smile gently. She shoots me back a glare. Bay is pissed. She probably won't talk to me for days now. Classic.

_(Bay's POV)_

Why do I feel so mad? Why am I so mad that after such a long time of pushing him away, I'm mad when he responds in the way that I had always wished? Maybe I didn't want him to pull away. Maybe I wanted him right here. Maybe I wanted some epic summer of romance and walks on the beach or in our case, late night painting sessions and sneaking around his crazy mother and my overprotective parents before I left everything. Because literally within four months, I would be leaving everything and everyone. They weren't coming to Europe, not even for holidays, it was just going to me and as graduation neared closer I was realizing this.

"What's wrong?" He grabs my arm.

I frown, "Nothing! Just thinking." I get on the back of his bike and pat the spot in front of me where he would sit.

He turns to face me, "I know when you're upset Bay…" He taps my nose and I feel like I'm a high school sophomore again.

"It's really nothing…" I blush and turn away, realizing how juvenile this truly is. I put on my helmet and he gets the hint. His body is turned around and I can't help but wrap my arms around him a little tighter than usual.

He strokes his fingers across my hand and the drive feels like only a few seconds versus the many minutes that it actually was. Maybe I even dozed off but before I know it my dimly lit house is in front of us and he's waiting for me to get off. I remove my helmet; eye's focused on him the entire him. He wasn't turning off his bike- but then again what did I expect. I put on my big girl panties and start to get assertive though. It might be the late night, it might be the so close to graduation it doesn't matter anymore attitude but I wanted to know why he wasn't going to invite himself in and sneak up to my bedroom and treat me like all the other girls he hooked up with.

"You aren't coming in?" I ask casually.

His stare makes me feel so small, "I didn't know you wanted me too…"

"Okay… bye…" Okay so maybe my pair of balls hadn't grown in yet I realize as I run towards the door.

I hear footsteps behind me though and I can't help but get a little giddy inside. I hold my finger up to my mouth making sure he knows to be extra quiet. He smiles and slides his hand to my lower back. God it sure was late. I creep up the stairs grabbing at his hands, his stomach, anything to make sure he was still behind me. He always is.

My bedroom door has never felt as far away as tonight. Emmett's unaware but I hear every creek in the floor and every second I worry that John will storm out embarrassingly in a bathrobe and boxers. I didn't need that mood killer right now.

I slide the door open just enough to get in and Emmett fits in easily enough behind me. I notice his tense glance that holds as he scans every nook and cranny of the room. I ignore it though and retreat into my closet digging through various nightgowns I had acquired and wondering what one would look most appealing. I throw on a sexy-ish one, an uncomfortable one that I rocked at a Halloween party my freshmen year. I glance in the mirror realizing I'm paler then I thought and pray that he kept the light off.

I feel so out of place. The sex appeal and the drive and the adrenaline have turned to sheer horror and I can only imagine what he's thinking out there. I look once more before getting out of the small area and notice my childlike features- the thick brows, gentle makeup, and tear stained eyes look so innocent. I don't want to be eighteen and innocent though. I open the door just a crack. He's sitting on the bed, jacket draped over the chair in the corner, arms out, eyes heavy; he looks sexy in a rugged way. I hide back in the closet and take a deep breath. Only after glancing once more do I realize then how badly I want to be eighteen and experienced.

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**authors note: thank you everyone who's reading! :) would love to hear what you think so far! **


	6. and we're still just friends

_(Emmett's POV)_

I hold back my yawn in case Bay is around; I don't want her to see me tired and interpret it as me being bored. I'm not bored! I'm completely content with staying right here on her bed. I tug at my shirt and consider how many times I had been here prior. Never with Bay though, always with other girls. Girls who were superficial, and clingy; girls who wanted me to rip them apart and then put them back together- but I never wanted that. I just wanted to make up for the times that I could have moved with Bay but was too shy to do so, the times that I could be having with Bay but wasn't.

God what was she doing in there? Every inch of my body craved her. It would be hard for me to just look at her when she emerged when I wanted to do so much more than look. She wouldn't want that- I knew this scene all too well, she would come out and she would apologize for her mistake and ask me to leave.

I would be left in the dust.

I hear the door creek open but she doesn't come out. I stand up and walk towards it, nudging it open. My mind goes blank when I see her seductively standing there, a goofy grin on her face, and I almost laugh but I'm too much in shock.

"What are you doing?" I question.

She awkwardly covers her body. "I didn't know… I just thought that maybe tonight was…."

I kiss her. I kiss her on the lips, on the cheek, on the neck, all over until her body rhythm matches mine. I don't even know when we became two but no longer could I feel a barrier between us. She was kissing me back and I imagined that at this point she would be saying my name. I pull away with my forehead resting on hers and take both her hands in mine. She looks about as content as I feel but I could never be sure with her undeniably beautiful features. The deceit that occurred through the years with that sinister smile was enough to rattle me senseless as we stood here now but she gives me a green light.

"You look beautiful…" I say dropping her hands and kissing her forehead, "And I don't think this is a good idea… but…."

"You want me… and I want you…" She seductively traces her fingers down my chest and I cringe, "So why is it a bad idea?"

I tense up, every muscle feels as though it's being deprived of oxygen and I fall back on her bed pulling her down text to me, "Trust me… you'll feel differently in the morning…"

She cuddles into me and grabs onto my shirt collar, "I've felt the same forever…"

I pull away at this, "No you haven't." I don't want to fight now but I feel obligated. She was making me so mad but how could I be? She was doing everything I had ever wanted and here I was rejecting it.

"Bay…. Friends don't have sex." I state with a smirk pulling her blanket over us so that I can shield my eyes from her glorious figure and seductive attire.

"Emmett…. Please…" She crawls on top of me, straddling me, her chest pushing against mine, "I want to do this, I need to do this."

She's begging me. I awkwardly tug at the strap on her nightgown remembering a simpler time when I had first told her I liked her. Those words that had come out of my mouth, the hours I spent practicing in the mirror; I didn't just like this girl, I loved this girl and I always had. NO one had ever motivated me to do such a thing and for her I would say it a million times again.

"Just promise me… this won't hurt me in the morning?" I hold up my pinky and she takes it in her own.

The spark that flows through my body at that moment is not only chilling but enduring and all of a sudden this is more than just a hook up- this is an adventure. I pull off my own shirt praying that this works out and I press my lips against her while flinging articles of clothing onto her floor. When I open my eyes I see hers remain shut- is she ashamed to look at me I wonder?

I nudge her a bit till she peers open, "Are you sure?" I ask one more time.

"Completely…" She responds seductively kissing my neck.

_(Bay's POV)_

I lay in bed wide awake. Nakedly, awkwardly awake. The tears are in my ducts but I can't seem to let them out- I'm not sure why. Emmett's body is curled up next to me and I can feel him breathing softly, assuming he's asleep I crumple into a small ball and begin to question everything.

I had been close before- Ty, my ex fling who I had thought was my one true had, had me ready as ever, maybe even more ready than tonight but something had stopped us that night. Nothing stopped me tonight, the emotions I was feeling were my own and despite I truly cared for Emmett and was not upset that HE was my first, I was upset that, that was my first.

I had heard horror stories from the first but nothing could prepare me for how I felt now. I went into it with romantic ideas only to come out here, in the fetal position. I begin to sob quietly wondering if every time would make me feel as shameful as I did now but I shake that thought from my head.

"Bay…" A foreign voice calls to me from the other side and I turn to face Emmett who's as wide awake as I am.

More tears form as I realize he was s_aying_ my name. I love his voice more than anything. Memories rush back and I turn into a cliché desperate teenager sobbing into his bare chest as he strokes my hair. He must think I'm completely pathetic; I don't want him to think that.

"I'm sorry…" I try to sign to him but I can't seem to form the words as I grip at his body.

He tilts my chin so I can look at him but he never lets our embrace go. Just kisses my head softly and for some reason I let all the other feelings I had about tonight fade. Tonight was perfect.

"Bay…" He pulls away from me leaving goose bumps up and down my body, "I should be going…"

I stand up. Confident and comfortable with my newly found women hood and I lunge at him, "Please stay… stay the night…"

He's buttoning his pants, "Bay, your parents, your brother would kill me…." He looks me in the eyes and sees how desperate I am, "I'll text you when I get home and we'll text till we fall asleep…."

I don't want to be that clingy girl so I quickly grab my own robe from the floor. He takes it away though and hands me the button up he had been wearing on our date.

"It's cliché but I think you should wear it." He winks at me and helps to slip it on, "You look just like you belong in a friends with benefits type of movie!"

I gulp. Friends with benefits. I don't want to be that.

"Haha!" I fake a laugh, "I'll walk you down…"

He takes my hand and we quickly yet silently make our way down the stairs. I squeeze his hand before letting go and quietly open the door for him. The warm air circles my ankles and yet somehow I'm still chilled without him wrapped around me.

"You're perfect Bay…" He passionately kisses me before retreating out to his motorcycle, pushing it to the end of the driveway before starting it, careful not to wake anyone.

I stop with the door cracked and my eyes on him; he really thinks so.

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**authors note: thanks for reading and reviewing! :) you guys make my day!**


	7. not a peep

(_Bay's POV)_

I'm sitting uncomfortably at the kitchen counter working through a math problem or two that I should have finished last week. Monday's hit like a train- especially when I had been up for so long. Saturday night was a blur; Emmett hadn't texted me.

"You okay honey?" My mother questions as she enters the kitchen wearing a million shades of cream, beige, and natural fibers.

I pull at my Buckner sweater wishing it wasn't so tight. Day's like this I wish I was back at Carlton where I could sign a pathetic excuse and fall into my own routine instead of having to be a rock solid ten in everything just to make it through first period. Oh and did I mention I would love to see Emmett. I felt like I was in middle school, back when I had kissed my first boy ever and he was two years older and I was too in awe to realize it was just a kiss and he did it with all the girls. The pathetic, clingy side of me was the reason that I loathed myself so much sometimes.

"Great! What's for breakfast?" I close my textbook realizing that senioritis (and losing my v card) wasn't going to allow me to get any further on this assignment.

"Oh…" Katherine digs around in the fridge for a few before pulling out a cartoon of eggs and a gallon of milk, "We'll just do something simple today!"

I shrug and grab my backpack, "I'm not very hungry anyways mom!"

She sighs, "I wish you would eat something!"

"I'll bring a granola bar!" I grab one out of the cupboard and smile, "I'm sure Toby and his boo thing would love some breakfast!" I wink which makes my mother cringe.

"He would like to spend some time with you before he goes back to Tennessee!" She scrunches her nose, "He might want you to design his new album cover.

I choke back a laugh, "Or not… are they still sleeping in separate bedrooms?" I stop at the door and stop at the idea of my brother and his fiancé having sex.

Katherine shrugs, "They say they are but a couple of young adults who live together won't even share a bedroom seems a bit strange to me…" She covers her mouth, "Don't tell them I'm saying this…."

Mom's got opinionated in her old age. I wonder if she thinks that I would share a bedroom… and if she's okay with it? No! How could she be? Parent's aren't okay with their underage children having sex. But I'm not really underage am I?

"Well… I don't want to be late!" I awkwardly slip out of the front door and sit in my car. I take a deep breath before starting up the car and try to ignore my art studio. I lack inspiration for anything right now; I just want to sit and think which is probably what I shouldn't be doing right now. I throw down the sunglasses as I see Daphne walk to her own car. She would get to see Emmett today; he would surely talk to her today. A sick feeling starts to form and my stomach and I throw it into reverse before she can even make eye contact with me. My mind wonders if maybe she had hooked up with him- she did seem to be with everyone I was with at one point or another.

_(Emmett's POV)_

I had texted Bay a zillion times. Or not. I had started a zillion texts to Bay and here I was during fourth period lunch still attempting to text her but what do you say to somebody?

_Sorry I didn't text you after sex, I'd like to do it again. _

Or maybe:

_Girl pretty. Me like you. Us Date._

I knew every second was making this whole situation just a little worse but I couldn't help myself; a simple hey was not going to do it for me.

"Hey!" I see a familiar wave in my peripherals, it's Daphne.

I smile back at her and set my phone face down on the table, "Hey!"

"How was your weekend?" She sits down and instantly begins plucking at her grapes.

I throw on my most quizzical look, "OH it was… fine…" My palms grow sweaty; I need to tell her, "Yours?" I try to change the subject.

"It was alright…" She glances over, "I hung out with Noah… is it strange that I still feel guilty for dating him?"

I shake my head, "No… Bay's over it, I think."

"Are you two talking again?" Daphne seems excited.

"We had sex!" I blurt out, "I palm my face, "I mean…"

Her mouth is agape, "You did?"

"It was no big deal…" I cross my arms and try to play it off like it was nothing, "Just thought I would let you know."

"You don't let me know about any of your other hook ups?" The redhead raises an eyebrow, "What is it Emmett?"

"I didn't text her afterwards…" I bury my face, "I feel so guilty."

The girl glances away; her and Bay weren't exactly friends but she should at least know the feeling, "And you're still in love with her?"

Emmett frowns, "I'm not in love with her, we're just friends…"

"Who have sex?" She questions.

"Not even like that! We just… I don't know!" I grab my stuff of the table angrily and storm off. Although this may not be her fault it seems like she's fueling the flame- everybody is fueling the flame including the sun glaring off the screen on my phone that has had Bay's name over it for at least forty eight hours.

Although our school had stayed open it didn't feel like home anymore. My mother was hardly visible with all the new hearing teachers and my desire to be here had deteriorated greatly. I wish Bay was still here; she would still sign, that was the type of girl she was. I slip into the parking lot headed straight for my bike, my mind wandering around what class Bay would be in and how I would make my entrance into Buckner. Then it occurs to me, I don't care; I just need to see her.


	8. push and pull

_(Bay's POV)_

You know that feeling when graduation is so close you can taste it? Like the flowers are bursting with life, and you don't even have your jackets out anywhere, they're packed away in bins for when you move to Europe, and you're tapping away at the seconds but each tap is more like a millisecond and you realize that you're never getting out of class- almost like you feel like you're going to spontaneously combust if you don't walk down that aisle soon. Yeah, that's where I'm at. I stand up with my books tucked underneath my arm slowly making my way up to the teacher's desk. I put on my fakest smile- the one that my mother and father have never, not fallen for and I catch her attention with a certain twinkle in my eye. She isn't amused.

"Yes Miss..." She starts.

"Kennish!" I finish almost signing it out to her but realizing that, that's strange to do here, "See I'm suffering from well…" I embarrassingly put my feet together and hold my breath praying my face starts to redden, "lady problems and was wondering if I could grab something from my car…."

The teacher raises an eyebrow, "Is this some sort of joke?"

I laugh, "I wish but nope, mother nature still bears her ugly head once a month…" I gulp realizing that statement. It seemed so foreign- when I was a virgin, I never thought twice about it; now that I'm not I begin to question the certainty of that statement.

She crosses her hands, "Be quick…"

"Thanks!" I scoot out of the class at lightning speed, gasping for fresh air as soon as the door is shut. Finally, freedom. I smirk at my cleverness wondering what I would do if I wasn't such a little devil. Well I would still be in that horrendous language class trying to compare poetry from an era that even my great grandparents weren't alive for with poetry from today and I would want to poke my eyes out with a pen. I finally make it out the outside door, the sun hitting my pale skin reminding me that soon I would have three months of pure sunlight and green grass. I sit down using my backpack as a pillow and I begin to count the bricks that I can see; it's still better then poetry.

A rustle in the grass frightens me and I shoot up from my spot on the ground only to see a lanky figure attempting to guard himself by a skinny tree. I narrow my eyes but the sun is too bright.

"Who are you?" I question more to myself as I slowly approach.

Emmett turns around, his hands shoved in his pocket; shooting me that nonchalant smile like it's a typical occasion that he's here at Buckner.

"Oh…" I say turning on my heel faster than I could realize and falling face first in the ground.

I consider crawling away from him but that would be truly embarrassing so instead I struggle to get up, apparently too slowly for he catches my shoulder with his light grasp that feels so wrong today.

"What are you doing here?" I question angrily grabbing my bag from the ground and swinging it around my shoulder.

"I want to talk to you…" He says, glancing up the doorway where I had come out of, "Remember this spot?" He reaches for my hand but I pull away.

"Emmett what are you doing here?" I'm practically in tears- his touch isn't welcomed it's resented and I can't believe that he even has the nerve to be reminiscing right now.

"Bay listen to me…" He starts, "I tried to text you- I wrote a million things down, I couldn't, I didn't know what to say…"

"That's a lame excuse Emmett!" I retort, annoyed at his failed attempt, "If you didn't want to be anything more you shouldn't have done that to me!" I reach out and hit him; I freeze.

He grabs my hand before it hits his chest and he narrows his eyes almost violently, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I didn't mean to do something so stupid!" I jerk away and he compliantly lets go of my wrist as I do.

"Stupid?" He contorts his facial expression into that of one who's hurt but I don't pay any mind to it.

"Yes! Stupid! Sex with guys who you know are only using you for sex is considered stupid!" I snort in pure derision.

"Bay!" He cuts me off, "I didn't use you for sex!"

I brush my hair behind my ear feeling very naked and embarrassed, "Well it seems like you did… Why didn't you text? Why didn't you come see me Sunday? Why didn't you stay that night?" I was melting into his eyes; his sharpening good looks were unfortunate.

He wraps me up into his arms but I wiggle out of them uncomfortably, "Bay…" He leads me over to a bench, "I like you. I like you a lot-,"

"But that was a onetime thing, oh and I'm going into the army, or moving far away so this can never happen and we shouldn't have done it. Emmett I don't care about an excuse, I get it…" I try to squirm away for the umpteenth time but he pulls me back down.

"Can you just stop and listen to me for a second?" He has a dumb grin on his face; I want to throw up, "I didn't mean to hurt you like that- I would love to do it… I mean…" He moves his arm to the back of his neck and awkwardly scratches.

"Ugh…" I scuff disgustedly, too worn out to be worn down by his charming smirk or his glossy eyes or his rescue from English, "I need to go back to class…"

He looks at me with sheer silence setting over the world. I can't hear a bush rustle, a bird chirp, or a even a car drive by; just the silence of two people who are too far removed from each other's feelings to make something of the conversation they're having right now. Just two people who are going to walk away from each other unknowing of the next time they'll speak to one another. Two people who've spent many nights tearing up over the continuous let downs that each other brings but know that they'll do it again, and probably again. I can't look at him anymore. I'm going to be sick.

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**authors note: just wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing! :) i really appreciate it! **


	9. motherly love or not

Bay lies down on her bed and cracks open a wooden box. Her life seemed surreal as she pulled out pictures and newspaper clippings that she had been hoarding after the past couple years. It brought a tear to her eye remembering the simplicity of her first year of high school and the complexity that is the final month of it.

Why did she have to make such a **mistake**? Finally fueling her desire to make love to Emmett in the comfort and warmth of her own bedroom in the midst of a romantic evening- it was all a mistake. Bay's heart fills with regrets. The pictures of Emmett had been weeded through a long time ago so luckily she didn't have to flip through those but instead she was reminded of her short romances with Liam, Ty, Alex, and a few others that were too short to mention. Ty is the man who stops her in her tracks though. The only one she had ever felt so close too; the only one who she had ever had desire to make love too besides Emmett. She wonders if that was due to her rebellious drive from finding out about the switch or if she really did feel that passion. Glancing at old photos reminds her that no, she did not have the connection with him that she had with Emmett.

It was a scary scene that was replaying. That moment when she glanced into his eyes knowing that they had, knowing that she would live with him taking her virginity forever, knowing that she would lay naked next to him for what seemed like only seconds but what truly was two hours, knowing that she had lost that part of her. Maybe to some girls, like Simone, sex meant nothing and although Bay had a tough attitude, she had a deep connection to that key inside of her that was now in Emmett's position.

"You okay honey?" Katherine questions from the doorway holding up a new bag of clothes, "I found these downtown and thought they would look good on you for next year.."

Bay wipes her eyes praying her mother doesn't notice, "Thanks mom!" She stands up and gives her mom a highly uncomfortable one arm hug, "I'll try them on for you…"

Her mother grabs her hand, "What's wrong sweetie?" She sits down next to Bay on the bed, her motherly instinct noting that something was VERY different about Bay this time around.

"Nothing!" Bay pushes it off digging through the bag and pulling out glorious burgundy and black sweaters, "These are really nice mom, thank you!"

"Honey…" Katherine narrows her eyes, "I know when something is wrong, I raised you… I'd like to help." She smiles gently and rubs her daughters back.

Bay turns away, sobs overtaking her whole person, shaking, writhing, "I-, I-, I slept with Emmett…." She buries her face in her hands, the regret pouring out in small tiny salt droplets, "I don't know what happened…"

"Oh Bay…." Katherine gently places her hand on her daughter's back obviously going to a different place, "I didn't even know you two were back together…."

Her daughters eyes are red, "We- We- we're not…." She knows that's part of the problem but maybe not as prominent as a part as it should be. She's more concerned about the fact that even afterwards; it seems their friendship is still too distanced. She wishes he was here but at the same time… not really. That would mean she forgave him which she certainly does not!

"Oh… honey…." Katherine frowns, her memory drifts to the past when she too was Bay's age, "It seems so hard…"

Bay lays back on the bed and curls her body up into a ball, "This is SO hard…." She wipes at her eyes and tries to compose herself enough to at least tell her mom what happened, "We just got carried away… I told him I was leaving in August and he asked to go out and it just felt like old times again… I didn't know it would end up like that, I didn't think it would!" She starts to ball again, her pale cheeks being stained with newfound adulthood.

Her mother begins to stroke her back, a sad smile upon her lips, "Bay… it feels like the end of the world, but I promise it's not." She's surprisingly not disappointed in her teenage daughter knowing how it felt to be young and in love, "This happens to the best of us; it's a bump in the road… We won't tell your father…"

Bay sits back up, hugging her mother from the side, cuddling into her like she was seven and it was thunder storming, "Why do I have so much regret? I didn't think that he wouldn't text or call; I thought it was going to be like old times…"

That same sad smile stays, "He didn't… I'm so sorry…."

"He showed up at school though… two days later he shows up and acts like nothing happened…" Bay begins to lash.

"You know… he's as confused as you are. It doesn't give him an excuse but I think that maybe he didn't know what to say you. He has a serious fondness for you Bay, you two have a special connection. I'M NOT saying that you should get into a relationship or marry him or anything but you two will have that bond, now especially forever!"

Bay sighs, "I don't want to get back together with him, you don't have to worry about that!"

Her mother turns her sad grin into an almost happy one, "Just remember that you're leaving soon, one mistake shouldn't ruin your whole summer, just because you had sex-,"

"Mom.. don't say that word." Bay glares at her.

"Just because you made a mistake with him doesn't mean you have to cling to him!" She smiles and stands up kissing her daughters forehead.

"I know…." She sighs.

_(Emmett's POV)_

"Where were you during fifth period today?" My mom is standing at my door doing that annoying foot tap that she thinks makes her look intimidating, "Unexcused abscene? You just left? It's been awhile since you've rebelled and I was so proud!"

I frown, "I had to leave... I didn't feel good..." I make up an excuse trying to make as little eye contact with her as possible.

"You didn't feel good? Is that why you were home when I got here?" She crosses her arms, "Emmett let's not play this game again, just tell me where you were?"

"I was touring a new school..." I blatantly lie hoping she'll throw her arms up in frustration and leave.

"A new school?" She narrows her eyes, "Are you seeing Bay again?" She steps forward- her apparent anger showing more then her general understanding, "Emmett!"

"We're not seeing each other- we're just friends and she's going thorugh a hard time." Another lie. I was two for two.

She raises her arms in frustration but isntead of leaving to take it out on her at home fitness videos she begins to take it out on me, "You and her are bad news! Not ever meant to be together!"

"Who am I supposed to be with then Mother?"

"Nobody! You're too young! You're going to school next year, focus, Focus, FOCUS!" She sits down next to me, "I remember when I was your age; I know what it's like to have a little crush on somebody but if you keep fa-"

"A little crush? Mom! Bay and I are so much more then a little crush!" I stand up angirly, "I can't believe you would even think that!"

"Well how could you possibly be more? You two aren't together?" She questions.

"Yes but we have a really special connection even if we aren't together! I really care about her! I wish you would understand that!" I narrow my eyes remembering the past times that Melody had played this card.

"Emmett..." She narrows her eyes back, "I am your mother, I know what's best; she, she is not the best... You have tons of options; you're ambitious, good looking!" She tries to cover up her negativity.

"Yeah and Bay is all of those too, plus she really cares about me!" I retort.

My mother rolls her eyes and stands up, "I'm telling you; don't get back together with her.

She was such a dictator. I pulled out my phone. I had to get out of here; I couldn't be here when she was like this. I considered asking Bay if we could hang out but knew that would be a giant disaster so I instead contacted Daphne- certainly a second choice and certainly a risky one but truely my only option for the time being. I prayed that Bay wouldn't be at the house when I got there- she would most likely assume I was with Daphne and the whole situation would worsen. I shove my keys in my pocket wondering if Bay would even come to the door if I knocked. Probably not. She was pretty mad.

Well i'm mad too. Mad that she still refuses to give me a chance. No chance to explain, to show her how I feel and I FEEL DAMN IT. I feel very strongly for her; it's actually driving me nuts to glance down at her name in my contacts knowing she wouldn't respond to any of my messages. I then begin to conjure up a plan. Daphne can let me into the Kennish household and then their is no way that Bay can avoid me. Would that be creepy? I weigh the option of if I really care or not. I **need** to talk to her.


	10. here we go again

_(Emmett's POV)_

I'm being really rational right now. So rational that I'm questioning my rationality wondering if I should run behind a bush before anybody can answer the doorbell that I rang. Bay's doorbell. These seconds feel like minutes and I wonder if I'm as pale and clammy as I feel. I pull at my shirt collar tucking my hands into my pocket and then pulling them back out. I see a figure and I gulp; this was it.

"Emmett?" Mrs. Kennnish questions cracking the door open just a bit.

I frown, of course she had told her mother, "Is Bay around?" I question politely as possible.

She glances behind her and bites her bottom lip, "Well… she's not feeling well… she's up in her room and-,"

"I won't be long, I just really need to talk to her…" I begin to sign nonsense and throw an apologetic look on my face.

She looks uncomfortable, "Come on in Emmett, she's in her room."

I nod, "Thank you!" I book it up the stairs, faster than I've ever ran before; I need to see her.

I stop outside the door and knock gently at first slowly increasing my pace and my hardness. She cracks it open with a disinterested face that turns to sheer terror when she sees me. Obviously we're replaying the same scene as we lock eyes. That night.

"Hey…" I sign, "Can I come in?"

"What are you doing here?" She slims the crack in the door so we can barely see each other.

I nudge it open, "Can we talk?"

"No. I don't want too…" She walks away leaving the door cracked open.

I push it open and follow her inside, gently closing it behind us, "Bay, can we PLEASE talk?"

She signs, "What?"

"I'm sorry." I start glancing around realizing that I didn't think I'd get this far and having nothing to say now that I was here, "I'm sorry." I repeat lamely.

"Okay…" She sits down on her bed.

I sit down next to her and slide my arm closer to hers. She doesn't move away.

"Why didn't you say anything to me? Like why did you have to wait so long?" She looks me in the eyes; it's apparent she had been crying, "I waited and I just, you could have just said hey, I don't know!"

"I know. I should have. But Bay, you have to understand where I'm coming from too…" I say this calmly and slowly hoping that she'll catch my serious but mellow tone.

"Where are you coming from Emmett? Did you just want to add me to your list of girls that you've slept with…" She glances sideways, arms crossed, obviously irritated.

I wish she would gather the difference between what I do with other girls and what I had done with her. I have had sex before, with a few people and it had been just that. With her, we made love; we tied our bond through something that was so much more than a simple act.

"You thought I was just sleeping with you to sleep with you?" I question her, "Do you really think I'm that kind of guy?"

She raises an eyebrow, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

I shake my head, "Bay you're different to me. You're special."

"Why am I so different?" She questions annoyingly.

"If I have to tell you then it's obvious that this won't work out!" I want to yell, I want to get mad; why was she so blind to my feelings?

"I just don't understand what makes this so difference than anybody else or from any other time?" She is yelling. I can tell.

I stand up, "Damn it Bay Kennish!"

She stands up and grabs onto my arm, "You aren't leaving till we get this figured out?"

She looks so intriguing when she's mad. Her eyes are dewy, her cheeks are flushed; she's perfect. My anger subsides with every second I study her features and within a matter of moments I'm holding her into my arms, a classic hug that feels so powerful for the two of us. She pulls on the back of my shirt tediously, almost nervously, and I hate that she doesn't feel comfortable. I pull back and notice her innocent smile; it's not that she isn't comfortable but more that she is unsure.

"Can we just try this again?" I question blatantly.

She steps back, "Try?"

"Dating!" I state, pulling her back to me.

Bay gulps.

"What are you afraid of?" I question, "Hurt? Rejection?"

She pauses for a minute, "Leaving…"

Oh. "That's it? Bay you're afraid of some stupid little move?" I almost laugh, "I'm willing to make the most of this, why aren't you?"

"Emmett! It's just a really unnecessary stress for me right now!" She throws her arms up.

I turn to the door, ready to leave but something keeps me there, "Then friends?"

She crosses her arms, "Maybe we could take it slow?"

I look her dead in the eyes, "Wait… did you just… just agree to us dating?" I step forward and jokingly stick my ear out.

I see her begin to smile and laugh, "Slowly, I mean I don't want to get in too deep too fast and-,"

In my head I'm tackling her onto the bed, kissing her, loving her but in reality I calmly smile and nod. I consider saying thank you but that would be strange so I just squeeze her hand.

"I'm glad we talked…" I respond, "Maybe I could take you out to dinner tomorrow night?"

"Dinner would be great?" She smiles, "And maybe you could kiss me now…"

I lean in and kiss her passionately and lightly. Careful not to scare her away. Careful not to ruin this.

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**authors note: Hope everyone enjoyed! :) Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it! **


	11. this comfortable silence

_(Bay's POV)_

Was this magic? Was I really falling back in love so quickly? He chewed on a small piece of steak, picking carefully and slowly at his surrounding food obviously trying to cherish the moment. I too poked gently at my salad, one leaf at a time; I could stay here forever. Forever was maybe an exaggeration but to me, it felt like a first date with somebody I was absolutely crazy about.

I wish that such a feeling didn't scare me but truthfully it did. How could one person have so much power over me? He had had a power over me forever though. The two of us, we could linger on each other for so long and despite the hurt we caused, we could always find each other. I wonder if we should talk or if he's as comfortable with the silence as I am. His smile indicates that yes, he's contented.

It amazed me how much he had aged over the years and I touch at my own skin wondering if I too looked eighteen. I would be graduating high school soon, a legal adult who was out on her own. I didn't have to go to Europe; I didn't have to stay home. My curfew had been uplifted and any law breaking would remain permanent. What a thrill.

"How's your salad?" He questions leaning back and patting his stomach.

I hold my fork up to my mouth, a sly smile upon my lips, "Good, it's lettuce with things on top of it; how was your steak?"

He shrugs, "Perfect!" He digs into his pocket for his wallet and pulls out a debit card. He places at the corner of the table and leans forward, "I assume I have to get you home at a reasonable hour."

"Well I suppose, I have school tomorrow…" I frown, "I guess you do too…"

"One more month!" He smirks, "All I have to do is pass my dumb classes and I never have to go back to that place!" He looks realized.

"Weird to think that you once had a really big wish to stay…" I sign back to him, recalling a time when the two of us mingled in the hallways at Carlton and his fellow classmates fought to get me out.

It's apparent he wants to change the subject, "I'm just ready to move on…"

"To a great summer!" I smile in return, my desire to leave Buckner all too obvious in my enthusiasm.

"You'll still be dealing with a bunch of rich kids who think they're better then each other?" He almost questions.

I nod slowly, "True… but at least they'll be talented." This joking seems so bittersweet and now I want to change the subject.

"I'll get you home…" He notices that I've stopped eating my salad all together and that my hand is grabbing at my coat. I don't want to leave but my anxiety levels continue to increase as we sit here, making awkward small talk, and pretending like we haven't been here before.

His arm is out and ready for me to loop into and I graciously accept his adorable gesture. It's like we're teenagers again, young and wild and free. Despite I'm still young and Emmett was the same as me I felt like there was a much more mature sense to us. He was not only more adult like about every situation we had been in but also he was more adult like now that we were here. Wining and dining me at fancy restaurants, walking me out the door; things were different, things were real.

I contemplate a more dramatic future as he drives me home. One of marriage and babies and I really begin to wonder if that's what I would ever want with him. I shake it off though knowing that, that was nowhere in sight yet feeling that somehow it may just be in our cards. Maybe I was in love already, or maybe I was just REALLY infatuated. It had to be the second one and I'm obviously getting carried away I decide as we pull into my driveway.

He pulls his helmet off and takes mine from me; we kiss.

Simplicity at its finest, he hops right back on and retreats from my driveway, only a promise of a goodnight text is left with me as I stand hopefully at the door. I begin to open it but catch the light on in the guest home. Daphne must be awake.

She and I have never been close. We've never been friends; we've never had good chemistry. I wonder why I'm walking to her door so late at night or why I had even noted that her light had been on but something inside of me needed to tell somebody about what was going on and surely she was better to tell then my mother.

I ring her doorbell, a foreign feeling setting over my body. It had been so long yet she lived so close. It was hard to make out her facial features being that for the last two months I had been either in my studio, waiting impatiently at the mailbox, or cooped up in my room and she had been out living life to the fullest.

She opens an almost alarmed expression, "Bay?" Her eyebrow is raised.

"Just was in the neighborhood and thought I'd say hi!" I wave awkwardly.

She steps back, "Come on in?"

"How's Regina?" I begin, memories of my biological mother flashing back and the realization that I had lost most contact with her since she left for rehab for the third time.

Daphne shrugs, "It's a life struggle I suppose…"

I nod.

"Was Emmett just here?" Her red hair looks almost auburn in the light.

Oh shit. I freeze and mumble out some sort of response, "Oh yeah… that was him.. we were out for dinner… I mean…"

"I know what happened Bay…" She sits down grabbing her book from the table and inserting a bookmark into it.

"You do?" Goosebumps shoot from my wrists to my neck.

Did Emmett tell her? And what exactly did he tell her? That horrible, sickly feeling engulfed my stomach as I pondered the horrendous lies he could be spreading around Carlton and the horrible things that Daphne could have told Noah. Not that I cared, him and I were definitely over and him and Daphne were obviously going.

"Bad things?"

Daphne looks concerned, "No, nothing bad."

I feel realized yet somehow I'm still worried. Not for what he had told her but for what she would do with that information. Although mother already knew there is no telling who else knew and who else she would tell. She was one of those who resorted to silent sabotages.

"Well I just thought that I would ask about Regina…" I casually walk back towards the door, ready to leave, "Uh, thanks!"

"Wait… are you two dating again?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Oh…" I blush, "Maybe yeah sort of… could you not tell m- our parents about this, I want to keep it on the down low for a bit…"

Daphne nods, "Sure thing…" She cracks her book and beings to read.

I suspected her honesty for them but was worried about how honest she would be with everyone else. Her sadistic ways had been showing through more with age and I knew that she wasn't exactly happy about him and I being together. Her side was usually with Melody; Emmett's crazy mother because in my eyes the two were both the same kind of crazy. Despite my lack of interest or involvement in her relationships she was a meddler and would continue to be that way through life I guess. It was my cross to bear. I begin back to my house praying that Katherine and John were out for the night or in for the night; either way I hope they didn't hear the roar of a motorcycle at a late hour on the weeknight- they would only be able to gather the worst.

* * *

**authors note: I just wanted to clarify that at time my language in this story may have a slightly juvenile feel; that's because it's written through the perspective of two teenagers who are trying to weed through the idea of being in love and yet wanting to move on in their life. I am around the same age so I use word choice that is relavent to me, my relationships, and things that I notice while i'm at school or with friends. I hope that those of you who have read the story in it's entirety are enjoying it and don't find the language to be offputting but i'm sorry if it's a major distraction. I'd love to know that, i'm open to constrictive criticism, but also i'll be open and say that this isn't my best work but it's my thing I do to relax and I hope that people enjoy it as much as I do and take it as a light hearted easy read like I planned it to be! :)**

So I just wanted to get that out there in case anyone is really unhappy about how i'm writing it. We all preferences, I get it, I'm happy that everyone has opinions and I love to hear them! Thanks to everyone who's reading this and reviewers, thanks for the support! I love reading your reviews, they make my day! :) 


	12. over the river, through the front door

_(Emmett's POV)_

I'm so anxious right now. My hands are trembling as I nervously await Bay's walk down the stairs. We were just grabbing a bite to eat and then going to some stupid Carlton fundraiser. Did I mention the fundraiser was at Carlton? Carlton where Daphne would surely be volunteering, my mother would surely be greeting and Bay's exes would surely be lurking as well as an immense amount of judgmental non hearing people who strongly disapprove of my relationship with a hearing girl.

"Hey!" I see a hand wave from the corner. It's Toby's.

"Hey!" I respond a chin nod, memories of a party band and a vixen who swept me in with vodka form.

He sits down across from me and I can tell that he had packed on the boyfriend layer. His face was no longer filled with dramatic features but more subtle outlines. He wasn't fat by any means but it was apparent that him and Nikki had grown… comfortable.

"How have you been?" I ask mostly suggesting the proposal and the big move.

He looks dewy eyed and born again, "Amazing, simply amazing! I'm living the dream!"

Oh god. He's become a complete fruit cup, "That's cool… you and Nikki?"

"Engaged to be married. I'm young and I'm in love and we're writing music and we're living the dream man…" He leans back obviously studying my complexion as well, gathering up details.

Although it hadn't been long it feels like it had been decades, our age difference was beginning to show.

"Are you waiting for Daphne?" Toby asks me, an eyebrow raise and a suspicious smirk.

I shake my head, "Uh no… Bay… we're going to a fundraiser for school…"

"For Buckner?" He questions.

"No, Carlton."

"You and Bay?" Both eyebrows are raised in a truly quizzical expression, "Are you two back together or something?" His hands circle the table and I gulp wondering what the appropriate answer would be in this situation.

He notices the tension so continues, "I know you two are back together but Emmett, word of advice, she's setting her wings and flying to Europe in the fall, would you want to jeopardize something that important to her?"

A look of derision sweeps my face. What exactly was this guy trying to say?

"You ready?" I see out of the corner of my eye.

It's Bay. She looks absolutely stunning in her classic distressed denim jeans and leather jacket on top. What an edge that girl had. I stand up from my spot at the table and wave a more than willing goodbye to Toby glad that I could end that conversation without making things TOO awkward.

"So are you excited?" She asks me, a big smirk on her face.

I glance over, "No… I'm more obligated…" I sign back considering each fundraiser I've tried to skip but somehow couldn't. Stupid mother being in charge.

"Well… I'm not exactly thrilled…" I can see the nervous twitch in her facial features and get sad. I wish I could make her feel more comfortable.

"We don't have to stay long, just enough to piss my mother off to the extent she no longer wants me there!" I smile at her.

"Great, so about a minute?" She winks at me and takes my hand, "Your mom has never liked me…"

"My mom has never liked anyone…" I return hoping that'll pass and we can get off the subject of my controlling mother.

Bay rolls her eyes, "I guess… Daphne?"

"Till she was with Jeff…" I respond, the two of us bursting out laughing at that awkward memory.

Bay shudders, "I don't want to think about Daphne hooking up with him…"

I look back at her, "I DON'T want to think about my MOTHER hooking up with him!"

She sticks her tongue out, "Gross…."

"To Carlton?" I question.

She nods, "Yay…"

I drive off. My heart is in my throat and I assume that hers is as well. The awkwardness has set in early and the two of us keep a distance, her arms barely wrapped around me. I don't like the air flow between the two of us and wish that she would just lean forward and cuddle up to me. I understand that she must be under a lot of stress though. The idea of seeing my mother even stresses me out. She didn't know. I didn't want her too. I would probably lie and say that Bay and I were just rekindling an old friendship. Not that I was ashamed of Bay, I was ashamed to face my mother when it came to something like this. Her lectures were anything but comfortable and personally, they distanced us more than any lie I could tell her.

_(Bay's POV)_

It wasn't just going to Carlton. It was everybody at Carlton, all the times I had been at Carlton. It was kind of like seeing an old friend. Too bad this friend was now an enemy filled with bitter resentment. I groan at the idea of facing Melody as no longer a student but rekindled flame. Damn Emmett and his charming ways.

I can hardly think as we pull up to the school- my heart has never been so close to be extracted out of my body as it is at this current moment. Emmett takes my hand though, he leads me through, he leads me too, he leads me. We watch as students enter and leave the main building and I can't help but put faces with names wondering if they're doing the same to me. Prrobably not. A typical hearing girl doesn't make as big of an impact on them as they did on me but I smile anyways.

"You ready?" Emmett questions.

I narrow my eyes, "Are you?"

He smiles wider, "One, Two…" He cracks open the door, "Three!" Escorting me in we both lock eyes with Melody- an angry, faux smiled Melody.


	13. awkward moments

"Hey mom!" Emmett signs, pulling me close to him and making sure I stay, "Big turnout?"

Melody glances the two of us up and down and suddenly I feel nauseous and uncomfortable, "It's okay…. The two of you?" She blatantly questions, "I didn't think I'd see you around here ever again Bay."

I narrow my eyes, "Oh… Well…"

"Mom! This was her school too… and besides, she's here with me!" Emmett steps in, obviously annoyed with his mother's pestering.

"Well concessions are on the right, activities on the left…." She walks past us and moves onto greeting a few other families.

Emmett looks over at me, "Ignore her…"

I get it. She hates me. Always has. But how can I ignore her all summer? This puzzles me as I consider the possibility not only will it be all summer that I'll have to ignore her but for years, maybe forever, if Emmett's dream proves correct. Although I understand the tension that will always be between a mother and a son and the girlfriend, I don't appreciate the very obvious distaste. She could at least pretend to care for me somewhat.

"Okay…" I respond, obviously upset by the confrontation.

"How about we play a game?" He asks pointing towards a poorly designed indoor carnival that offered the classics.

I shrug, "Sure…" I crunch my nose at the idea of shelling out money for a place that didn't just reject me behind my back but very blatantly to my face.

"How about-" He starts but is quickly interrupted by a tap on his shoulder, "Daphne!" He smiles, I frown.

Of course she would be here. A volunteer sticker plastered on her chest; big, cocky smile on her face. I only know that Noah is trailing not far behind, an awkward encounter is in my future.

"Hey!" She touches my arm, "I didn't know you would be here!"

I nod, "Yup!" I glance around wondering if I'll see her blonde boyfriend walk over.

"Are you guys having a good time?" She questions.

Emmett takes my hand in an attempt to comfort me, "Actually we just got here!"

"Oh!" She smiles, "Well there are tons of games and tons of food!"

I glance around. Tons was quite the overstatement. A few games plastered around, classic shoot the cans, shoot the water, and shoot the balloons as well as throw the ball into the cup. Giant cartoon characters were hanging from the tops just asking to be won and the prices had been jacked to an unbelievable amount yet people were gather around to win. Surprisingly the doors were wide open to reveal a giant blow up maze as well as a baseball field covered in what appeared to be a flea market. A mini bake sale was located on the right side of the gymnasium as well as a large table with crockpots that probably had lukewarm burgers and hotdogs . Maybe I was being negative or maybe I was being realistic.

"Hey guys!" I glance up from my deep thoughts to see Noah standing uncomfortably next to Daphne, more greeting Emmett instead of me.

He shoots me a sideways glance and I keep my eyes narrow, "Hi…" I mutter.

Emmett notes that I'm uncomfortable, "We're going to get going; we were just going to spend a little bit here and my mom will kill me if it's not be spending my time spending money!"

A chorus of smiles greets his leave and suddenly I'm in a bitter mood, "Well…" I glance around.

"What should be play… wanna shoot?" He winks.

"Plastic guns or water?" I joke.

"Guns!" He points at the giant cartoon character, yellow bodied and ready to be won by anyone willing to shell out fifty dollars, "I'll win that for you?"

I laugh at the ridiculous idea of winning something that obscenely large but before I can even deny it he's laying down the money and shooting down cans. Who knew that he was a regular Annie Oakley when it came to carnival games.

A translator questions if he wants to continue on and of course he does, laying down even more money. I step in and lay down my own couple dollars, "I wanna try!"

Emmett smiles at me, "Let's go!"

The two of us waste an hour at the booth leaving with an oversized doll and a broken bank. I awkwardly glance around as Emmett hands over the life sized doll and I start to laugh. Everyone is giving us looks of envy and I wonder what I'll do with something so large. I don't worry too much though; I feel special knowing that he cares enough about me to kill a hundred bucks competing against me to win such an item.

"You're welcome…" He glances at his watch, "We killed a half an hour and helped out the old stomping grounds…."

I can't help myself; I kiss his lips and cuddle up next to him, "Thank you…"

He holds me close and kisses the top of my head. We're in pure bliss.

"Want to get out of here?" He smiles noticing that Daphne and Noah are on the prowl.

"Sure…" I conjure up a plan, "Why don't you come home with me and we'll watch a movie or something?"

I smile at the simplicity that is cuddling in bed watching a subtitled comedy knowing that we'll both want more, knowing that I want to take it slow but knowing that it will be hard to do that. I wasn't sex addicted, I was love addicted. I wanted to be that close to him all the time but I didn't want to deal with the regret that came afterwards. Not the regret of sex, not the regret of sex with Emmett, but the regret that was what could happen from this, what would my parents think, and who have I become? It was a big deal. It hurt to wonder if it was as big of a deal for him being that he had done it before. I hoped that it was but knew that it probably wasn't.

"Sure…" I see that twinkle in his eyes and I get a little hot; he is hot.

"Emmett…" I glance at him, "How are we going to get this thing home?" I hold I up realizing that it's over half the size of me.

He laughs, "We'll all have to squeeze tight!"

I laugh and I blush; I want him, he's perfect. I don't know if I can go through this again with Emmett but I can't help myself. I want to make love to him. I want to take him home and I want him to spend the night with me. I'm curious if the apparent resentment him and his mother had at the beginning of the night would make him want to stay with me but I worry. I worry about being alone again.


	14. in his arms

I set the oversized cartoon figure in the corner as a constant reminder of the night that went much better than I thought. Emmett had already made himself comfortable on the bed- a sight that was peaceful. I stepped into my closet shutting the door just slightly. I changed out of my everyday clothes into a pair of pajamas. I consider the last time I had done this and the choice of clothes I had picked then. It was a different feeling- I didn't feel like I had to be sexy for Emmett to want to make love to me this time; I didn't feel the need to impress him like I did before. I step out and he gives me a soothing smile and pats the bed next to him. I jump on over into his arms and cuddle up praying that I can stay here all night.

"Sorry you had to go to that fundraiser." He states, putting his arm around me.

"It wasn't all bad…" I sigh letting the bad times go and the good ones set in, "I only had to talk to Daphne and Noah- nobody else even bothered me!" I say this in an almost sad way. Apparently I really wasn't important to anybody there or maybe they were even bitterer to me now that more hearing kids had started attending Carlton.

Emmett rolls his eyes, "Everyone has gotten really crabby in their old age- I think we're all just hoping that graduation gets here sooner. Carlton isn't the same place it used to be."

"I can see that…" I respond noting all the translators that had been lurking around tonight and hearing so much conversation instead of seeing it- the atmosphere was different.

He pulls me in closer and kisses my neck. I want to stop him. Tell him it's too soon and that I'm not ready for this yet but my body lets it happen.

"What movie do you want to watch?" He pulls away.

I pull out a pile and spread them out. Emmett quickly grabs one and puts it in my computer. I can tell that all he wants to do is lie with me. I can't help but feel the need to hear an answer before I commit.

"Are you spending the night?" I question, forgetting about my parents, forgetting about my brother, thinking about one thing and one thing only.

Emmett looks deep into my eyes, "Yes Bay, if you want me too."

I nod slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. I reach for his shirt and begin to pull at the bottom. He takes my hands and moves them up. I pull away and sign, "Of course…"

He stands up and undoes his belt, "Mine as well get comfortable then, you don't mind?"

I shake my head viciously.

"Good…" He slips out of his jeans and underneath the covers, pulling me underneath with him.

The movie goes on but I know he's not paying attention. Neither am I. He gazes at me and I can't help but gaze back, turning away when his look returns. We're little school children in lust. I cuddle up tighter.

"Do you even know what the movie's about?" I question.

He shakes his head, "Not too worried about it."

He kisses me passionately and I can't help but return it again and again. He's beautiful, inside and out and I wonder how I lasted so long without him. I don't bring up the thoughts from the past because we aren't our past, we're a future. He reaches for the remote and presses the off button and then reaches over to shut off the actual light, only the moon shining in on us. His grab goes under my shirt tentatively, touching my bare stomach with his cold lanky fingers and goose bumps pop up. He retreats at the feel of the small bumps but I hold his hand down for reinforcement. It was okay. I was okay.

I continue to kiss him and I too, return his touch. His carries it up and down and all over but never in a perverted way. I love his touch; maybe more than anything, maybe even more than myself I think. I don't make a noise knowing we'll have to be silent for this to work out but I can't help but let out a moan. Even though he can't hear it, he feels it and he carries on. Could this moment last forever?

I realize quickly it can't as I slip underneath the covers and my eyelids slip over my pupils. Emmett has his arms around me and it's apparent the two of us are too exhausted to carry this out in its entirety. Oh well, I wasn't sure I was ready for it again anyways. I hear his heavy breathing turn slow and I settle into his motions, matching the rising and falling of his chest and we sleep in unison, dreaming of each other.


	15. a small fight

_(Emmett's POV)_

The sun rose up as quickly as my eyelids and instantly I felt an extra amount of warmth on me. Bay. Bay Kennish, head on my chest, arm draped on my torso, body leaning into mine. God, she was perfect. This was perfect. I glance at my phone with a surprising number of missed calls. Zero. Mom hadn't tried once. I pick her arm up and set it down gently, careful not to wake her. My clothes on the floor look spectacular, like they were meant to be there in scandalous delight. I have to piss and debate maybe even showering but thinking that may be too weird. What if she walked in and saw me in wet naked glory and wanted to jump my bones right there? I laugh at the thought of shower sex with Bay and yet somehow am slightly intrigued. Would she ever? Would I ever? That seems somewhat demeaning compared to the passionate love making we had done prior.

I turn back to face her before exiting the room entirely. Her features look so pure in the daylight and I can't help but wonder if she has an alarm set for the day. I shake my head realizing that neither of us have anywhere to be on this Saturday but in each other's arms. I try to conjure up a lie to text my mother, truly anxious at the idea of her yelling at me. I can see her glaring facial features and intense motions as I stand, blank faced, emotionless at glance but a nervous wreck inside. At the end of the day, I was an eighteen year old who still craved the parental nurture and guidance that only she and my father could provide- something that both of them failed to do on a regular basis.

I imagine her calling my name and stumble back to the room as quickly as I had left only to find her still l lying softly among cotton sheets and down pillows. Her eyes are cracked this time and she manages to wave at me.

"Good morning.." I sign, laying back down, arms curled up under my head so that I can admire her.

She stretches and yawns, no unpleasant small talk, just comfortable silence. Her eyes are peering at a clock that is centered on the far wall. I notice a groan but pretend not to. She taps my arm.

"Toby and Nikki are performing soon; I'm going with my mom, would you like to come with?"

Her smile is genuine but in her eyes I can sense that she would find it awkward for her, her mother, and I to all be tag teaming it to Jesus music. I shake my head.

"I have to get home to see my mom…" I stand up and pull her up with me.

We kiss before I exit to head on home.

"I'll walk you down…" She grabs her robe and throws it on over her clothes, "Thanks for staying…"

I glance over at her, "Thanks for letting me…" The tone is awkward but sincere.

My ride is pleasant. The wind whipping at my knuckles as I try to remember how in the world to get home. I had been here before, I had been her just days ago but still, it was a foreign area. With Daphne and I barely seeing each other outside of school it was rare that I ever appeared at the Kennish household but lately, I couldn't seem to leave.

I crack the door to my own home slowly. I'm not sure if she's awake or out. I let my instincts drag me to the kitchen and then around from room to room, looking for her. I find her in the obvious spot, the living room. She sets her book down and glances up at me, sliding her glasses off and crossing her arms. Oh god. Here it comes.

"Well you're home late… or early?" She raises an eyebrow, "Did you have a fun time?"

I shrug, "Sure.. I'm a little tired from… I'm just going to be in my room…"

"Damn it Emmett!" She's yelling, "I thought that you would get over your little obsession but it's clear to me that you have a problem that we need to really address…."

I raise an eyebrow, "An obbession? A problem?" I hold my hands up to stop her from continuing, "I have neither of those, I like a girl who likes me back mom, and you know what we had sex, and you know what, I spent the night at her house last night, and you know what I lied to you about it…" I'm fuming.

"You're grounded."

"I'm eighteen."

"Then get out…"

My eyes widen, "Is that what you want?" It's apparent she hit a soft spot and she starts to retort.

"Well, I didn't mean… I just don't understand why you can't find somebody who makes both of us equally happy? I mean there are so many nice girls Emmett, I just don't want you to get hurt, I mean…" She awkwardly twitches back and forth while I stand with my arms crossed, "I just wish you would respect me! Don't' you think I know what's best for you!"

I throw my arms up, "Apparently you don't!"

She shakes her head, "Do what you want Emmett.. I quit." She grabs her purse from the chair and makes her way to her car.

I don't care. So my mom hates me? Nothing mattered to me but Bay. Her controlling ways had escalated despite the aging. Her once bouncy smile has grown tired with the various arguments and she's started to give up easily. I understand she's a hot head but she needs to understand, I'm just trying to be happy.

I ignore the fact my own mother stormed away from a conversation before I did and cuddle up on the couch. I want to take a nap, but mostly, I want to be with Bay.


	16. wrong, all Wrong

_(Bay's POV)_

I ponder where mine and Emmett's relationship will go as I scroll through information among various web pages. How awkward that I would be looking up birth control options. I blush just thinking about it knowing that if I'm not mature enough to think about it, I shouldn't be doing it but wanted to do it anyways? A first time, I read, is never good but I beg to differ. Mine was magical.

"Knock, knock!" My mother cheerily announces from the door making me jump and close my computer quickly.

"Heeeeey!" I smile crookidly, "What's up….?""

"Just dropping off the laundry!" She sets a basket down on the floor near my bed and starts to put things away.

I realize my privacy is limited with a mother as amazing, organized, yet nosy as my own. I couldn't hide anything from her if I was to start on the pill or buy condoms or any of that stuff. Ew, thinking about those things while my mother was feet away from me only managed to increase the uncomfortable feelings I was housing.

"Mom…" I question, "Will you make me a doctor's appointment?"

She turns, genuine concern in her eyes, "Why? Are you not feeling well?"

I've had an occasional bout of nausea but I pushed it onto anxiety instead of anything major. Truly I didn't want an appointment for that but more the idea of discussing birth control options with a trusted professional.

"No, I just have a…. a lot of headaches lately…." I shift my eyes.

She raises an eyebrow, obviously knowing something is up but refusing to ask, "Well… okay, I'll try to get you one this week!"

I nod, "Thank you…." I slowly pull back up the windows as she exits continuing to read about horrific side effects and wondering if a baby would really be worse than some of the side effects they mention.

(_Emmett's POV)_

I pick at the crumbs of my lunch and glance to the distance. My mother hasn't said a single word since she returned home late last night and I wonder if we'll ever get over this relationship bridge. Oh well. My mother is crazy anyways. By this time on a usual day, Daphne would have come over to the table spewing off about her wonderful relationship and prestigious future and I would smile uncomfortably knowing that we have finally reached a cross road.

I glance up to see her kissing her overly tan boyfriend; not disgusted but more uncomfortable knowing that the two of us had grown up so much. We were so different- for so long our family life and our history had created a close bond but now I see more than ever as she second choices me for lunch that this is truly over.

"Hey!" She blankly greets.

I smile and munch on my chips, "Hey."

"What's wrong?" She still instantly knew.

"Just my mom and I… usual…"

"Is it regarding Bay?" She questions, making sure to stare daggers at me.

I look at her with narrow brows, "What?"

Daphne shrugs, "Just asking…."

"What do you mean is this regarding Bay?"

"I just think it's a little strange that you're throwing so much away for her…" She opens her lunch bag and pulls out a healthy looking springtime salad.

I raise my eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing!" She pokes at the lettuce and smiles wide, "How is your day so far?" She awkwardly shifts the topic.

"No! Not nothing!" I start to get angry, "What are you taking about throwing so much away? I'm not throwing anything away, I'm gaining!"

Daphne rolls her eyes, "Emmett you always do this…. Don't be dramatic…."

I stand up, easily irritated after all the things that had gone within the past few days, not having seen Bay in about 24 hours.

"Emmett!" She yells, glancing around knowing that a scene is being caused, "Sit down and listen to me for a second!"

I sit down, a deep breath in and a deep glare at her. I was too tired to take this shit from an outsider.

"I was just saying that the last time the two of you went out, it didn't blow over yourself; I mean you throw a lot away for her. The relationship between you and your mother, the amount you skip school, our friendship… She's kind of a bad influence on you…"

"Did my mother set you up for this?"

Daphne glances around, "Emmett, I'm just going to give you a word of advice… she's moving in August, you're stuck here; do you really want to mess everything up for her?"

"Daphne, what you don't understand is it's not messing everything up, I'm happy! Why can't anybody just let me be happy!"

"I'm worried for your well-being when August rolls around, that's all!" She throws her fork down in distress.

"Well don't!" I sign back at her, grabbing my things and walking off. I consider ditching out on the rest of the day but realizing that, that would only make Daphne's point right being that I would be going right to Bay. I sigh and hunch down in a somewhat hidden area.

Was Daphne really getting to me? Was she right?

No. I was too close to Bay for this to be happening. We were over this stage.  
It wasn't going to end in August- it was going to stay.


End file.
